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The journey of being mum has at times been a roller coaster ride. It was a job that I never thought I would undertake because I was never the mumsy type. Don’t get me wrong I always liked children, other people’s, you can hand them back you see. I was never a mum that carried tissues in their bag to wipe sticky fingers, I was rubbish at remembering things like PE kits, dentist appointments, my best trick was turning up to appointments on the wrong day, remembering to pick them up after clubs. I was one of those mums as a teacher we hated, sending them in without a coat, not naming their clothes, not turning up for parents evening because I had lost the slip. To be fair I was expecting them both to be in therapy by the time they were teenagers because of the crap mother they had but apparently they seemed to have turned out alright, they say they love me.

They say they liked the fact I was relaxed not pushy, fun, I didn’t mollycoddle. I have taught them independents, they grew up able to cook, clean, look after themselves, help other people with no fussing or nagging on my part. I just let them get on with things and learn by their own mistakes, which believe you me they have made some.

At times I didn’t want to be a mum anymore, it’s the hardest job going, it’s a role that I wanted to be better at, I wanted to be an earth mother, Mother Teresa, Mary Poppins, but I am not, I’m just me, doing the best job in the best way that I can! X

A few of you were showing interest in knowing what would help your child be prepared for school, and give them a good start on their road of education. I work with Year one at the moment which is the 5/6 years olds, and there are definitely things you could be doing to help with the foundations of their education. So here is an insight of what we do at school with your blossoms and some things you could be doing at home to help them along a bit.

Maths

A large proportion of children struggle with is counting the teen numbers. So when counting with them always go to at least 20. (oh just a little note, can it be thirteen instead of ferteen)

Seeing the numbers written down, so they recognize them

Knowing numbers out of context, for example, children learn to count up in ones by rote but ask them a number out of order, you then know if they really know what it really is and what it looks like.

For the bright ones counting up in tens would be helpful, because we teach them in year one their 10, 5, and 2 timetables.

The best way to help your child learn about counting and counting on, adding, is good old fashioned board games. Because the first thing we teach them is counting on, adding, and counting back, taking away. But we cannot do any of this until they have got the basic counting up and back in ones and recognising their numbers.

Literacy

We all know that reading every day with your child helps them with their writing and reading. It’s not only about reading to them but about asking them about the story, getting them to talk about what is happening in a picture. Making up imaginative stories getting them to finish stories off. The talking comes before the writing. If a child cannot explain it to you in words then there is no way they can put it down in writing.

It is so helpful that at this age they can write their name. They should have had a lot of practise with this in reception class.

If you are starting to practise writing at home, make sure that you are using lower case letters because many children for some reason write in capital letters. I think this is partly down to the computer keyboard they see the letters at an early age on the keyboard and of cause it is all in capitals.

Knowing the names of the letters as well as the sound of a letter is good too. We always ask for the name and the sound because they need to be able to sound out a word and be able to write those letters.

Last little plea…It would so help my day, because it takes up so much time if not, can…

all the jumpers have their names on

children can put their own socks on

use a knife and fork

practice putting their new coat on and off, doing the zip up!

and have manners

I thought it might be a nice and helpful idea to offer any advice to parents who child is first starting school in September, just from a teacher’s point of view! Obviously all schools do things in different ways, but the worries are still the same!
Maybe questions about the curriculum, homework, making friends, what’s helpful for children to know before starting school to help them along, reading books, general routine in schools, questions like that. I don’t promise to know everything but I will do my best!
So go on fire away, what do you want to know?

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Well I thought I had better let you all know I am still alive, as I haven’t blog for a wee while. You know how it is what with school, home and children, well they are not kids anymore, I should say young adults. I don’t get a huge amount of time for the old blogging! But as it is half term and peeing down with rain, so here I am.

I hate to tell you I haven’t got anything life changing or profound to say and this is unlike me blogging without anything interesting but I just felt like connecting with you!

Since I last was here I have seen the Olympic torch on the Plymouth Hoe a couple weeks ago. I’m not normally a person that would go and watch something like that but I went down to support My other half and ended up really enjoying myself and I was quite moved when I saw the torch.

My eldest is all loved up with his new girlfriend, so I have gained another teenager, she spends all her time here. I suppose I should class that as a complement.

My other son has been taking his GSCEs, which I must say he has taken in his stride, better than I thought he would. He is setting himself up to go to medical school. It’s all a bit weird really and it makes you reflect on your role as a mum when your youngest leaves school, doesn’t it. Things are going to change I think, routines are going to be different. When your children are at school everyday it’s a comfort because you know where they are, it’s the same everyday, but when they leave life becomes less predictable. So I think this is going to be a new chapter to motherhood.

Anyway, the little fella at the top by the way, is a fox from Dartmoor zoo. Foxes are such beautiful animals. Here’s a few more pictures for your pleasure, I always like blogs with lots of pictures to look at, probably because of my low concentration span!

Have a good day, thanks for popping in, and don’t be afraid to say hello! X

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I was just having a look through photos of a trip I took our year 6 children on last week, it was a great day in a beautiful place. Full of laughter, chatting, taking photos, filming and editing. It got me thinking of a few things, this picture I took kinda looks like they are looking forward to their future. What is going to be in store for them I wonder?

They are going to be leaving soon the comfort and safety of primary school and moving towards their future. I always find this time of the year particularly hard for many reasons. First because of my own turbulent experience of school but mainly now because I have nurtured, taught, wiped their noses, found their jumpers, sorted arguments, hugged, been cross with, played games with, ran with, sat with, cried with and looked after these children like as if they are my own from the age of 3. They started in nursery with me on their very first day, and I have seen them through their journey up through school, I have taught them in every year. That’s the joy of my job, I am not tied to one year group I teach the whole school throughout my week. And this years year six are the first I have taught from day one and soon they will be flying away hopefully taking a part of me with them. The fun we have had, the bad days we have had, the dancing, singing, playing, learning, discovering and performances. There is always one teacher you remember from primary school because they have influenced your life in a positive way isn’t there and I always wanted to be that one to them.

So I have done all I can, it will be soon time to let them go, we have a few things left to do though like SATS next term. So for all you parents out there, there are teachers that really care, we do look after your blossoms the best we can, when you wave them off at the gate in the morning, then pick them up again later they have had a full and interesting day, even though you ask ‘how was your day, what have you done today at school’ all you get in answer, ‘not much’.

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Whatever happened to when the children were young? Gone are the days when going out to the beach was an exciting venture, when the anticipation of the day laid ahead, the picnic preparation, the bags weighed down with the ‘just in case’. Buckets, spades, body boards, towels, spare clothes and more spare clothes. Piling it all into the car and then off we go. After finally finding a parking space, unloading half your house contents out of the car you and the children, much to their disgust, piled up with stuff, that then needs to be walked the two mile trek onto the beach, up the beach and back again looking for a spot that is suitable to pitch up on. So out comes the cosies and towels ready for the towel dance to get clothes off without flashing to the world. Off drags the body board down the beach to the water, spades at the ready to dig to the centre of the earth, then they are gone. Time for me to settle into the latest trashy mag to read about the celebs latest diet. The children popping up and down the beach throughout the day, in and out the water, the compulsory sand car built, sat in, then destroyed much to the makers annoyance, sand sandwiches, sticky lollies, and the odd crab trapped in the bucket. After a whole day of free entertainment, children getting tired, gathering up sandy soggy towels, empty packets then traipsing it all back to the car stopping on the way to wash sand off feet. All piling in the car, probably with someone in tears because they are sandy, sticky and worn out, and that’s just me! Thinking how have I got the energy to go home and cook tea?

This is all when they are little, now it’s a different story. I am the only one excited about going to the beach, having to prize the xbox controller out of a reluctant teenagers hand, that has only said yes to coming with you because he knows you will be in a mood if they don’t come. Me pacing up and down waiting to go, finally get out the door passed lunch time. Me wanting to go the beach that we had visit when they were young, but not quite remembering how to get there, so spending the next hour an half finding it, with the teenager of cause knowing best how to get there, huffing and rolling eyes at his sad mother getting upset because she is getting frustrated at not finding the place she had been waiting for a break in the weather to go too. When finally arriving at destination, and stopping off at the garage to pickup packet sandwiches, no homemade picnic now a days. I have often thought when you could have done with having money when the children are young you never seem to have it, when the children are grown up you have the money, but looking back even though you don’t think it at the time you are more creative and productive making up hampers of food to save money, which is more fun I suppose. So at destination take the one bag out of the car, not weighed down any more, the know it all teenager knows a better way to get to the beach. So off we trek the long way down to the beach, beautiful walk, damn he was right. Finally getting to the beach, getting blanket down, sit eat packet food, look out to sea in silence, me saying, aren’t you getting your swimmers on? Na, aren’t you going to go climbing the rocks then? Na. Sit there a bit longer in silence then a big black cloud comes over, look at each other, shall we go then. Yep, off we march up to the car and home.

I used to long for the days when the children were grown up, at the time I thought I hated them being little and dependant, wishing their childhood away, I am not saying it is any worst or better now, just different, but actually then was fun, shame it has taken me till now to appreciate it.

Living life with a chronic illness is definitely not easy. But I do my best to push through all the barriers this illness puts in front of me! In my heart and mind, I believe maintaining a positive outlook on all situations in life will carry us through to much better times! I hope you find the information that I provide both helpful and inspirational!